Nintendo Switch 2 features a new game sharing system similar to Valve's own Steam Families, and it's compatible with the OG Switch

Mario & Luigi: Brothership trailer still — (Image credit: Nintendo)

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is finally here, and with it comes a wealth of knowledge regarding the new console from Nintendo – including a first-ever look at GameShare, a brand-new feature exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2.

GameShare acts much like Steam's own Families system, in which friends can share one copy of a game with each other without needing to buy it again. As per the Switch 2 Direct, the new Nintendo console will similarly allow fans to "play together locally on multiple systems using just one game." This also applies to games that require more than one screen "if one person owns a compatible game."

Perhaps most exciting, however, is the fact that GameShare works across consoles, not just the Switch 2. Games can temporarily be shared "with others who also have a Nintendo Switch 2 or a Nintendo Switch system." That means players using the Switch 2 can hop in-game with others on the original Switch – not just fellow Switch 2 users. You can share a game with up to three other systems at a time, too.

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The new GameShare function supports online play as well, and can be used alongside the Switch 2's upcoming GameChat feature, a built-in Discord-esque social channel that can be accessed via the mysterious C button. It's important to note that only compatible games work with GameShare, though, but the feature is "planned for several titles, starting with a free update for Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics."

Judging by the Direct, it looks as though GameShare will also probably eventually be compatible with titles like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Super Mario Odyssey, and Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain. It's bound to work with various Switch 2 exclusives, too, although there's no way of telling which games it'll include until more news and the console itself drop this year on June 5.

Searching for more? Here are some of the most exciting upcoming Switch 2 games to look forward to.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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